Jakarta, April 30 (V7N) — Bangladesh women’s hockey team’s dream of winning the Asian Games qualifiers ended in disappointment after a 3–1 defeat against Chinese Taipei in the final in Jakarta.

Despite taking an early lead, Bangladesh could not maintain their advantage and eventually finished as runners-up. However, the team still achieved a major milestone by securing qualification for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan.

The match at the GBK Hockey Stadium began brightly for Bangladesh. Playing an aggressive style from the start, they took the lead in the 8th minute when forward Arpita Pal converted a penalty corner, giving her team a 1–0 advantage.

Chinese Taipei, however, quickly responded by increasing pressure on Bangladesh’s defence. In the 17th minute, Wang Yu-Chiu equalized with a field goal, bringing the score to 1–1 by halftime.

The turning point came in the third quarter. In the 32nd minute, Mao Yi-Hsuan scored to put Chinese Taipei ahead 2–1. Bangladesh tried to recover, but in the 40th minute Huang Yu-Ting added another goal, extending the lead to 3–1 and effectively sealing the match.

In the final quarter, Bangladesh pushed forward in search of goals but failed to break through a disciplined Chinese Taipei defence and goalkeeper.

Earlier in the tournament, Bangladesh had drawn 5–5 against the same opponents, and went on to defeat Uzbekistan 3–2 and Hong Kong 2–1 in the group stage. They later beat Singapore 3–1 in the semi-final to reach the final and secure qualification.

Although they missed out on the title, reaching the final and earning a place in the Asian Games is being seen as a historic achievement for Bangladesh women’s hockey, marking a significant step forward on the international stage.

END/SD/